"I'll be able to give my state what they deserve," C-Rock, of Dover, said about releasing "Dope Daze" this Wednesday. "This is a well-deserved project that has a little of everything." Though "Dope Daze" is technically a mix tape, C-Rock says he's approached it as if it wer e an album.

For starters, "Dope Daze" is comprised of only original beats throughout the 18-track project. And unlike many current rap mix tapes, "Dope Daze" has mostly avoided using synth-heavy production and booming 808 drum kits in favor of tighter snare drums, rigid kick drums, pianos and horns. The result is a mix tape that feels more hip-hop conscious than something that was solely intended to get radio play and please clubbers.

'Dope' beginnings

The inspiration behind C-Rock's new mix tape, and its title, is it's about him "enjoying the greatest [years] of my life," the 29-year-old rapper said. Over the last three years he's had the opportunity to open up for several notable emcees such as the freestyle-battle phenomenon Iron Solomon and the legendary tongue-twisting Bizzy Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Both shows were held at Mojo Main in Newark.

In 2012, C-Rock released his song "Paranoid" featuring Madd Illz, the founder of Grind Time Now: the largest hip-hop battle league in the world. Another of C-Rock's "dope" accomplishments has been becoming a full-time videographer, in which he's been his own boss since January.

Romeo of rap

Quintin "Hpnotiq" Bournes isn't an R&B singer, but you'd think so the way the rapper isn't afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve.

One of the songs he'll perform at Circles during the "Dope Daze" release party will be his fresh single and smooth love song, "Ms. Dimples."

Page 2 of 2 - "That song came to me in a dream," the 23-year-old Hpnotiq said with a smile. "It's kind of weird how it happened. I was just dreaming, walking down the street, and I saw a girl walk by and I could see the dimples in her cheeks. At that very point, I felt that love connection with her and she was feeling the same way about me. When I woke up I said, 'I'm going to write a song about that.'"

"Ms. Dimples" will appear on Hpnotique's upcoming mix tape, "Hpnotiq The Lyrical: #Twoface," which is slated to drop on Datpiff.com in mid-August.

Meanwhile, the music video for "Ms. Dimples," which was filmed by C-Rock, debuts July 26 on YouTube. "Twoface" is intended to bring more positivity to the rap game.

"I'm trying to give [rap] some new flavor because the music that's out now is about sex, violence and drugs," said Hpnotiq, of Camden. "I don't want to put that in my music."